A new computer gaming headset that could revolutionise online gaming has been released with the ability to read the player's mental impulses and transfer these to reflect on an avatar.

The 'mind reading' Epoc headset will sell for $299 and can read facial expressions and simple thoughts through electrical impulses in the brain to generate commands such as 'lift' or 'drop' to control in-game actions and transfer these to an avatar in the game. For example, if a player winks, smiles or grimaces while wearing the device, similar expressions would be seen on the person's avatar in the game.

”It picks up electrical activity from the brain and sends wireless signals to a computer,' said Tan Le, President for developers Emotiv.

“It allows the user to manipulate a game or virtual environment naturally and intuitively.”

Le said that basic emotions such as happiness could also be detected with the headset is likely to generate a lucrative market when it goes on sale later this year.

The brain is made up of about 100 billion nerve cells, or neurons, which emit an electrical impulse when interacting and the headset implements a technology known as non-invasive electroencephalography (EEG) to read the neural activity.

'Emotiv is a neuro-engineering company and we've created a brain computer interface that reads electrical impulses in the brain and translates them into commands that a video game can accept and control the game dynamically,' said Le.